Frazzled English woman (F.E.W.) is a bizarre and wordy name for a style. What does it mean? To be frazzled is to be busy, rushed. You’ve got a long to-do list and only so many hours in a day. The English part comes from the fact that a lot of characters in films with this aesthetic are British/English: Bridget Jones, for example. Lastly, of course, the characters are usually women. However, this aesthetic is for anyone. English or not, women or not. Doesn’t matter— it's an essence, not so much an appearance. It’s more important to focus on life than the way you look. Not completely disregarding your hygiene and style, of course, but not being as nitpicky with your appearance. Another example of a frazzled English woman is Andrea Sachs in “The Devil Wears Prada.” She starts out interning at a fashion magazine with absolutely zero knowledge of fashion. She doesn’t care about how she looks; her priorities rest on her career goals. She wears outfits that express this, such as her iconic cerulean sweater over a button-down shirt and a long argyle skirt. She goes on to become more stylish and fashionable but definitely begins the film as a frazzled English woman.   

The Frazzled English woman’s mindset is just as important as the clothes. In a world where beauty routines and the latest fashion trends are being thrown at us through social media, it’s important to focus on mindfulness and staying individualistic. Being trendy is fun, and there’s always a great feeling that comes from wearing all the newest clothes and keeping up with the latest styles, but it can be a lot to keep up with. Both costly and exhausting. The F.E.W. mentality is a safe cushion to fall back on. Wear what makes you you, instead of trying to be like everyone else. Combine this with a focus on life instead of your appearance—you might inadvertently feel more beautiful than usual.  
You’ve got the mindset. How do you get the look? Curating the F.E.W. style requires careful imprecise layering of things that don’t go together... yet somehow do. Slouchy, cable-knit sweaters paired with a floral skirt. A scarf and striped gloves. A denim skirt and a cardigan. Old, worn-out shoes like Chelsea boots or loafers. Plaid and leather. Am I painting a good picture? Are you feeling frazzled? Plus, for a frazzled English woman, sentimentality is always in season. Wear that sweater your grandma made you, those same jeans you’ve somehow had since middle school and fun socks that’ll be tucked away in your shoes— who's going to know? These practices will not just make you feel better about yourself but are so much more sustainable than buying the newest clothes, discarding them and repeating.  

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Another iconic part of the aesthetic is jewelry. Frazzled English women are typically spotted wearing plenty of jewelry: numerous bracelets, a long necklace and usually a ring or two. Bonus points if they don’t match and extra bonus points if they have sentimental value. This aesthetic originated from film, and the sentimentality of the characters tends to be a recurring theme. There’s always one piece of jewelry that’s an heirloom: their grandmother’s bracelet, mom’s engagement ring, necklace from their father, etc. An accessory like this gives a F.E.W. more depth but also adds to the many pieces of jewelry she wears.  

Another staple accessory is a bag. Think Rory Gilmore, in a way. A bag filled with books bursting at the seams. A tote bag so full it should scream, “I don’t have time to go back home today, so my entire day is hanging from my shoulder.” We’ve all been there. This is how the Birkin bag was created. Jane Birkin was a British actress, and although her style doesn’t necessarily fit the F.E.W. mold, her essence absolutely does. The famous fashion folktale tells a story of one fateful night in 1983; she was sitting next to Jean-Louis Dumas, the creative director of Hermes, on a plane. She was carrying her carry-on in a straw bag, and she ended up spilling it all, including her Hermes diary. As she rushed to pick everything up, Dumas helped her, and she unknowingly remarked that once Hermes made a stylish yet functional bag that could carry her essentials, she would then buy one. The two then spent the flight designing the Birkin bag. A year later, the bag was released in 1984, and Birkin was gifted the bag she aided in the designing of. This bag is now a staple of luxury and elegance, as they’re very expensive and have long waiting lists to purchase. Despite this, Jane Birkin used her bag like a bag is meant to be used. She decorated it with stickers, filled it with her essentials and allowed it to get scratched and scuffed. Hermes even replaced the first bag she was given due to its handles breaking from so much use. Plenty of carefree essence without paying too much attention to the material things of life.   

Coco Chanel once said, "Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off." Well, no offense to Coco Chanel, but I disagree. Look in the mirror for sure—but forget about taking one thing off. Screw it, put another thing on! An extra ring or accessory never hurt anyone. Chanel believed in elegance and understatement; the simplicity of an outfit without numerous accessories. That was the iconic Chanel design all throughout most of the 20th century. Things shifted in the 1980s when Chanel began to lean towards maximalism and away from simplicity. Now, in today’s world, overdoing an outfit is celebrated. Layers are where it’s at. We welcome wearing numerous rings, stacks of bracelets, layers of necklaces and several piercings. Expression comes from the little pieces of every outfit we wear.   

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Next time you’re having one of those days, with a to-do list that’s always two steps ahead of you, embrace it. Throw on a frazzled English woman outfit and seize the day! With this mindset, all is possible. There are so many hours in a day, and on some days, you’ve just got to embrace the little things like chipped nail polish, comfy shoes, simple hair and your favorite jewelry. Social media puts a lot of pressure on us to be the “trendiest” in the room, but individuality can always be your best bet. Be you at your core, and don’t let your appearance stop you from seizing the day!